Extension bracket for hospital beds



y 1 J. J. ETTINGER EXTENSION BRACKET FOR HOSPITAL BEDS Filed May 29, 1950 IN VENTOR J. Jzzizrg g ATTORNEY Patented May 1, 1951 EXTENSION BRACKET FOR- HOSPITAL BEDS Joe J. Ettinger, Warsaw, Ind., assignor to Zimmer Manufacturing Company, Warsaw, Ind.

Application May 29, 1950, Serial No. 164,953

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to extension brackets for the ends of beds such as are used in hospitals and elsewhere for surgical cases involving fractures and the like in which it is desirable to exert traction on a part of the patients body. a

One important object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved form of extension bracket adapted to be supported from the cross rail of a bed foot or head and there securely located without the use of clamps or other than the suspension means.

A second important object of this invention is to provide an extension bracket for the purpose set forth wherein novel means are provided for permitting vertical adjustment of the bracket parts and for holding them securely in adjusted position.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a novel device of the kind described wherein the adjustable part may be arranged in either erect or inverted position as for tension on the lower extremities in erect position or for producing tension of the cervical vertebrae in inverted position.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be presently apparent, the invention consists in general of certain arrangements of details and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly claimed.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention as applied to the foot of the partially i1- lustrated bed and used in connection with traction means extending from a leg of a patient.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention with the adjustable portion inverted as in applying cervical traction.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment of the invention as here illustrated there is provided a support or hanger consisting of a stout metal rod having a horizontally disposed portion II] from the ends of which rise the vertical arms II. These arms II have their upper ends bent rearwardly to form inverted semi-circular bends l2, the arms thus being of inverted J-shape. These arms are, in use, hooked over the top rail A of a bed end and, for the purpose of preventing injury to the finish of the bed, are provided with tubular rubber coverings 13. Also the portion I!) of the device is provided with tubular rubber covers I4 for like purposes.

Welded or otherwise securely fixed to the portion Iii is a vertical guide member l5 having an opening [6 extending vertically therethrough, this opening being preferably rectangular in cross section. Slidably mounted in the opening [6 is a bar 15 also preferably rectangular in cross section. However, any cross section of opening and bar may be employed, it being sufficient that the bar is non-rotatable in the guide IS. The bar is thus vertically adjustable in the guide and, in order to secure it in adjusted position, a handle provided setscrew I1 is screwed through the front wall of the guide I5 to engage the bar Hi. The bar I6 has an alined extension l8 bifurcated at its extremity as at I9 to provide space for a grooved pulley 20 mounted on a shaft or pin 2| which spans the bifurcation and has ends projecting laterally from the extension. Projecting horizontally from the extension !8 at its junction with the bar I6 is a pair of laterally spaced arms 22 secured by a rivet 23. Through the free ends of the arms 22 extends a shaft or pin 24 on which, between the arms is a grooved pulley 25. Secured on the shafts 2i and 24 is a pair of diagonal braces 26.

In this construction the frame having the arms H and guide [5 constitute a support to carry adjustably a bracket formed by the bar l6, its extension 18 and the arms 22 and 26.

In use when traction is desired for a lower extremity a cord or wire B is led, with the bracket in erect position as in Fig. 1, over the pulleys 20 and 25 and has one end connected to the lower extremity as at C while its other end carries a weight D. For cervical traction the bracket is arranged in inverted position as shown in Fig. 2 so that the cord or wire extends close to the mattress of the bed and passes only over the pulley 25. Obviously in either position the bracket may be adjusted vertically and there held by the screw 11.

What is claimed is:

In an extension apparatus for surgical fracture beds, a pair of inverted J-shaped members, a cross-bar extending between and rigidly connecting said members, a tubular guide rigidly fixed to said cross-bar, said guide extending parallel to said members and having an opening axially therethrough of polygonal cross section, an adjustable bar fitting slidably in said guide and conforming in cross section to the opening therein, means in the guide'to secure said bar in adjusted position and pulley carrying means 3 4 at one end of said adjustable bar, said last means REFERENCES CITED comprising a pair of spaced members projectmg upwardly from the upper end of said The following references are of record in the justable bar, said last mentioned means further file of thls Patent: including spaced members projecting at right 5 I D STATES PATENTS angles from said adjustable bar, brace members connecting the outer ends of the last mentioned i f gg ggfi g i members and the upper ends of the next to last 1'366612 Vauee .1921 mentioned members and pulleys supported be- 2230620 Leiter b 1941 tween the bars extending from the adjustable 10 bar at their junction to said braces.

JOE J. ETTINGER. 

